Vegan Burgers with Sweet Potato and Lentils

One of the great things about burgers is that you can slap them on the grill and have a delicious dinner in under 30 minutes. It’s an unfortunate reality that homemade veggie burgers don’t fit that bill. There’s almost always quite a bit of prep, and many of them don’t hold up unless cooked gently on the stovetop. Vegan burgers can pose additional challenges in that department. None of that explains why I really, really love a good veggie burger. And I know I’m not alone here.

That’s why it’s great to find a delicious recipe for vegan burgers that minimizes these issues. There’s some prep, but not an insane amount. They hold up to both cooking and slapping into a bun with lots of toppings. I like them even better after resting in the fridge, and they freeze well, so you can make a big batch ahead of time if you like.

I’ve adapted this recipe from Plant Based on a Budget and have been using it as one of my workhorse vegan burger recipes because it’s as reliable as it is tasty. The flavors are pretty neutral, too, so you can dress it up in a variety of ways. I’m still working on a more savory vegan burger patty, which I’ll post soon. In the meantime, burger up with these babies.

We’ll be spending our next few days in Banff and Vancouver, hiking through Bob Ross paintings like this one. (Follow along on Instagram if you like!)

See you soon.

Vegan Burgers with Sweet Potato and Lentils

These vegan burgers taste great, have a good texture and hold together well. To me, those are the key elements of a good, reliable veggie burger recipe. I only make them when I have leftover lentils and rice in the fridge, but you could start from scratch if you like. The patties keep well for a few days in the fridge or could be frozen. I actually like the texture even better the second day, so you could make them ahead and reheat -- even in the microwave -- if you like.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 3/4 cups cooked brown lentils

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 cup raw sweet potato, diced (no need to peel)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

A few grinds black pepper

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

Buns

Toppings of choice (we like to top ours with cheese, kale salad, pickle slices, ketchup and mustard)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a light layer of oil.

Into food processor fitted with the blade, place the onion, garlic, sweet potato and walnuts. Process until finely chopped. Add the cooked rice and lentils and pulse until well combined. Transfer into a large mixing bowl. Add the ketchup, mustard, flax, salt, cayenne and black pepper and mix together thoroughly.

Stir in the cornmeal. The mixture should be thick enough that you can easily form patties in your hands. If not, add a bit more cornmeal. Divide into eight patties and place on a the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each patty and bake 15 minutes more. Serve as you like.

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Hi there, I'm Carolyn, and I'm delighted you're here. I'm a NYC-area food, travel, yoga, coffee, wine, running, music making and book obsessive with a great family and a love for sharing it all with you. Grab a drink and come on in. Learn more.